Luxury Mexico Resort Where American Couple Was Found Dead Shuts Down

[SBFNews]

Luxury Mexico Resort Where American Couple Was Found Dead Shuts Down​

Last week, Abby Lutz and her boyfriend John Heathco were discovered dead in their luxury hotel room

The five-star Mexico resort has now temporarily shuttered as investigations into the shock deaths continue

It is believed they died of carbon monoxide poisoning, with a paramedic saying the room was so toxic he worried for his life

A luxury Mexican resort has been forced to temporarily shutter after an American couple were found dead in their hotel room last week.

Abby Lutz, 28, and her health junkie boyfriend John Heathco, 41, suffered suspected carbon monoxide poisoning before they were discovered unresponsive at the five-star, $780-a-night Hotel Rancho Pescadero near Cabo San Lucas.

The lavish retreat has now temporarily closed down, as investigations into the tragedy continue.

'Our top priority is the safety and wellbeing of guests and colleagues and the property will not resume normal operations until our investigation is complete,' a spokesperson for Hyatt, which owns the hotel, wrote in a statement to CBS Los Angeles.

The company had previously denied claims the tragedy was related to 'any issues with the hotel's infrastructure or facilities.'

It comes after paramedics who first entered the room revealed they immediately felt dizzy and feared they might die due to the toxic fumes.

Autopsies found that Lutz and Heathco died by 'intoxication by an undetermined substance', and local police initially suspected the cause of death to be gas inhalation.

The couple were discovered around ten hours after they died, with Heathco found in the shower and Lutz in the bed.

Prosecutors said there were no signs of violence, however Lutz's family revealed that the night before their deaths the couple had been struck by a mystery illness.

They told CBS News they spent a night in a Mexican hospital with suspected food poisoning, and were treated for dehydration.

'She said it's the sickest she's ever been,' said Lutz stepsister, Gabby Slate.

'She texted her dad and said, 'good night, love you,' like she always does and that's the last we heard from her,' added Lutz's stepmother Racquel Chiappini-Lutz.

Her family, who are now fundraising to bring Abby's body home, said in a statement: 'While on a beautiful trip in Mexico, Abby and her boyfriend thought they had food poisoning and went to the hospital to get treatment.

'We received a phone call saying that they had passed away peacefully in their hotel room in their sleep.

'We have been told it was due to improper venting of the resort and could be carbon monoxide poisoning,' a GoFundMe page set up by the family says.

The toxic environment causing the sudden deaths was detailed by paramedic Fernando Valencia, who was one of the first to enter the room alongside his sister.

He told ABC News they both felt immediately dizzy due to the fumes, and it was so hazardous they feared they might die.

'My partner and I, we started to feel dizzy and we came out. We went out of the room soon as possible and I was afraid for my partner because my first thought in mind, was are we gonna die?' he said.

'It was one of the worst experiences that I've felt,' he added.

The boutique hotel's closure comes after it disputed suggestions there may have been a gas leak, saying in a statement it does 'not believe that the cause of death was related to any issues with the hotel's infrastructure or facilities, including carbon monoxide or a gas of any kind.'

In a statement, her sister told DailyMail.com: 'We are shocked and saddened to hear about the passing of our beloved Abby. Abby had an adventurous spirit and a wonderfully kind heart.

'She loved to travel, see new places, and share her zeal for life with those around her. We ask for your thoughts and prayers for our family during this very difficult time.'

There have been several other instances of tourists dying in hotel rooms due to carbon monoxide poisoning.

In June last year, a Florida couple died while on vacation at a Sandals Resort in the Bahamas.

In November, three other tourists died while staying in a rented apartment in Mexico City. Their cause of death was carbon monoxide poisoning.

Source:https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...health-junkie-girlfriend-dead-shuts-down.html